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Modern EKG machines are used to diagnose heart problems and check for abnormal heart rhythms.  By translating line tracings on an electrocardiogram, doctors can interpret the spikes and dips (known as waves) to see a complete picture of the heart’s overall health.

The heart muscle is actually made up of four chambers, which act as a pump.  The two upper chambers are known as “atria” and the two lower chambers are ventricles.  But the heart doesn’t pump properly without a certain amount of electrical stimulus, or impulses.  The body’s natural electrical system is what causes the heart to contract and pump blood to the lungs and through the circulatory system.

An EKG test, or electrocardiogram, is done to:

• Assess the heart’s electrical impulses
• Find the cause of chest pain, which is often caused by a heart attack, pericarditis, or angina.
• Diagnose symptoms of heart disease, including shortness of breath, fainting, dizziness or palpitations.
• Find out if the heart chamber walls are too thick
• Check the effectiveness of heart medicines, and determine if they are causing any side effects
• Check on implanted heart devices, such as pacemakers, to be sure they are working properly
• Perform regular heart check-ups, especially when other conditions are present, like hypertension, high cholesterol, diabetes, or a family history of heart disease.

Preparing for an EKG test

Some medicines can change the results of the test, so be sure to tell your doctor about any prescription or non-prescription drugs you are taking.  You may need to change your dosage of these medications prior to the test.

EKG machines are usually used only by health professionals, with the results being interpreted by a doctor.  You may receive an EKG as part of an overall physical exam, or during a series of tests at a hospital.  Because EKG machines are often portable, the test can be done almost anywhere.  If you are staying in the hospital, you may be continuously monitored by an EKG system, which is a process called telemetry.

Technorati Tags: ecg, ECG Machines, EKG, EKG Machines, Used Medical Equipment

EKG machines have been a vital tool in the medical profession, since their discovery in 1903 by Willem Einthoven. Using the science of electrocardiography (ECG or EKG), these machines are used in healthcare environments to interpret the electrical activity of the heart. By placing external electrodes on the skin, EKG machines use a noninvasive recording technique to graph the rhythms of the heart.
Originating in the sinoatrial node, electrical impulses of the heart travel through an internal conducting system into the heart muscle. These impulses then trigger the myocardial muscle fibers to contract. Electrodes, when placed on different sides of the heart, can measure the activity within different parts of the heart, and then the machine can display the voltage in between each pair of electrodes. Doctors can then read this display to see the overall rhythm of the heart, and diagnose weaknesses in different areas, particularly any abnormalities that may have been caused by damage to conductive tissues. Some abnormal rhythms can be caused by higher levels of dissolved salts, or electrolytes. Or, after a myocardial infarction (heart attack), an EKG machine can identify damaged areas of the heart muscle.
While the EKG can diagnose some important areas of damage, it cannot be used to reliably measure the heart’s pumping ability. For this type of testing, an ultrasound device, known as echocardiography) or nuclear medicine tests are more appropriate.
EKG machines have come a long way since their discovery and can now load images faster, using a higher resolution. They are far more computerized, compact and effective in diagnosing abnormalities of the heart. Today’s machines are often used for diagnosing heart disease and can even point out a heart attack while it is happening.

Technorati Tags: ecg, ECG Machines, EKG, EKG Machines, Used Medical Equipment